Learning To Breathe
by Iulia
Summary: SasuSaku:: AU setting:Year 2011 :: Uchiha Sasuke has given everything up for the sake of revenge. He lives only for the death of his brother. But he meets a relic of his past and long buried feelings resurface. Will he finally learn how to breathe again?
1. Prologue

DISCLAIMER: Naruto's not mine.

AUTHOR'S NOTES: This is my lame-ass attempt at an AU fic. Hi everyone, it's me again. I don't really have much to say… except that it's 1 in the morning and I'm quite sleepy. Anyway, please read and review so that I'll know if this is worth continuing. Thanks. Title is tentative… I might change it when I think of something better... please review!! Reviews make me the happiest person on earth!!

* * *

**LEARNING TO BREATHE**

_PROLOGUE_

* * *

The first time they saw each other in five long years was through the foggy haze of 7-11's glass windows. It was cold and damp and the night air was even cooler than the air-conditioning inside the shop; she had concluded that this must have accounted for the foggy windows. Foggy or not, though, it wasn't hard for her to discern who the person on the other side of the window was. 

It never really was hard for her to spot him. Even when they were children, the mere presence of him seemed to magnetically draw her eyes. And now, despite all her growth and the damp mud sticking to her prim white stockings, she was still unexplainably drawn to him. Well, not really unexplainably… she knew that his striking good looks played a part. But really, she highly doubted that his handsome eyes could penetrate through foggy windows so she was willing to bet that it wasn't his good looks that drew her eyes to him this time.

She had been gaping at him from the outside for quite a while and she must have looked rather silly if a homeless bum deemed it apt to chuckle at her. Ignoring the bum's continued chuckling, she stepped up to the double doors and wiped her feet on the already-soaked rug.

The air inside the store was warm and fragrant with the smell of mashed potatoes and coffee. She got a good glance of her reflection from the fridge doors and saw that she looked like a complete mess. Sighing, she attempted to tame her matted pink hair but as expected, she was unsuccessful. The strands stuck out more than ever and, after giving an unladylike grunt, she gave up. If anything was to blame for her sorry state, it was the hectic shift she had spent at the hospital. She hoped that when she finally finishes her pre-meds and earns enough money to study medicine, she'd be less haggard. But she knew perfectly well that things were only going to go downhill and by the looks of her current state, she might have to stay as a nurse forever. So, she spared herself the effort of self-delusion and focused instead on saving up some money. Not that she could save, anyway, Naruto was always borrowing some from her. And though she loved the boy in a brother-sister sort of way, she couldn't help but resent him each time he forgot to pay. Either way, she was broke and she knew that she would probably regret buying the cup of coffee but she did it anyway.

She walked over to the counter, fumbled through her purse for some bills, paid for the coffee, and sauntered over to where the guy she was gawking at sat.

"You're not welcome."

"I know."

"Persistent as ever, Sakura."

"Rude as ever, Sasuke-kun."

It was normal banter for them. And though the urge to fangirl at him was still strong, she repressed it in favor of the friendly bantering because, though he didn't say it, she knew that he liked the argumentative Sakura a lot better than the ditzy one. However, it was five long years since she saw him and she couldn't help but wish for a slightly warmer welcome. They had, after all, been friends – _acquaintances_ – once. Nonetheless, she took the seat that wasn't offered to her and idly mixed the contents of the 3-in-1 with the hot water.

"I was here first, you know, so I won't leave. You can't sit there."

She took a sip from her cup before she answered.

"It's a public seat, Sasuke-kun, and I don't see your name written on it."

"Look again. You're sitting on it."

"…"

"Nah, you're just trying to get me to stand up."

What she got for an answer was a glare that, though familiar, was still quite effective in making her feel quite stupid. It was then that she noticed the striking changes in his looks. His hair was disheveled, there were dark circles under his eyes, and his clothes were damp. She concluded that he must have been caught in the rain earlier and that he had come in here to dry himself off. Like old times, the desire to help him out stirred inside her. But she was more mature, and she knew that you shouldn't force help onto someone who didn't want it… because, really, it would end up hurting the both of you.

"If you're quite done staring…"

"Alright, listen Sasuke-kun, if you're really this uncomfortable with me being here, I'll go."

She didn't miss the mock-sigh of relief that he gave but that did not deter her.

"But I'm leaving you my number and if there's anything you need – anything – just call me, okay?"

She then took the tissue paper that came with the coffee she bought and jotted down her name and number in a messy script. If she had known that that strip of tissue would change her life, then maybe she might have bolted. But she had no idea at all of the changes it would bring to her relatively stable life and so she haphazardly placed it on the table and said goodbye as she turned to leave.

"Your coffee."

The baritone voice stopped her in her tracks and with half-a-glance towards his direction, she answered.

"You can have it. You look like you could use it right now."

* * *

He watched her protectively beneath his hooded eyes as she walked away from the store, vigilantly watching for anyone who would care to attack her. But as she turned right at the next corner, she disappeared from his view and so, he could no longer watch out for her safety. It seemed that being protective over her was a habit he couldn't shake despite being away for several years. 

Out of all the things he thought would happen tonight, he never thought that he would run into one of his old schoolmates. He was back in Konoha for the first time in years and already he ran into a ghost of his past. Perhaps the place was still as small as he remembered. Either way, he was glad that a 7-11 had been built. He had worried that once he left Oto, he would lose his favorite destination for his sleepless nights. But now it seemed that his worries were unfounded as his insomnia would still be sustained by 7-11's instant coffees.

He hated sleep yet he loved it. So really, he was torn between calling his insomnia a curse or a blessing. On one hand, his lack of sleep interfered with his work and on the other hand, it spared him from the nightmares. Either way, he would rather have been normal… like his former friends.

No, scratch that. Naruto was definitely not normal. His mentor, Kakashi, had not been normal either. Perhaps the only one among them who was actually closest to normal had been Sakura.

Sakura.

That name reminded him of the scrap of tissue that she had left on the table. Tentatively, he reached for it and unfolded it. It was stained with coffee but still readable. He was slightly surprised to see Sakura's neat script replaced with a messy scrawl. But he decided that college did that to people. Knowing that he probably wouldn't - _shouldn't_ - call her, he scrunched up the tissue and placed it on the table.

He was about to take his leave but he remembered the coffee she had left on the table. Not one to waste anything, he took a sip from the Styrofoam cup. Again, he was surprised. He had expected it to taste sweet. Instead, it was bitter and exactly suited to his taste. From what he remembered, Sakura always loved overly sweet coffee to the point that it was debatable that the beverage was still coffee or not.

He scanned the table and saw that, sure enough, two packets of sugar were present.

He knew she bought the coffee for herself. She even took a sip from it. Her early departure was definitely not planned. In fact, if he had been more accommodating, she probably wouldn't have left. So, why she made coffee that was tailored for him when it was so obviously for herself, he didn't know. Either way, something about the coffee made him reach out and smooth the crumpled piece of tissue that he had dismissed earlier.

Not knowing why he was doing it, he folded the tissue paper up and slipped it into the pocket of his dark jacket. Pulling up his hood, he stepped out of the store and walked the streets, unmindful of the sun slowly peaking out from beyond the mountains, slowly but surely heralding the start of a new day.

* * *

**TBC.**


	2. Chapter 1

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Naruto.

AUTHOR'S NOTES: Chapter 2 is here. Thank you to everyone who reviewed. I really appreciate the feedback. Anyway, please read and review… I would really really really love it if you give me some feedback… You guys know how it is for us fanfic writers, reviews are our lives. Haha. Anyway… I hope you like this one… I'm going to try to update this weekly… wish me luck.

* * *

**LEARNING TO BREATHE**

_CHAPTER 1: Gnawing Indecision_

* * *

She should have expected this. That guy always did manage to unhinge her in the best and worst ways possible. Frowning at her half-empty jar of ground coffee, Sakura got up and paced around her living room. Already, her consumption of coffee had gone up to twice the usual amount the moment she caught sight of him. She was already thinking about how this would impact her carefully budgeted income. Going through nursing school is quite expensive. And the fact that nurses actually have to 'pay' the hospital for their practicum didn't help one bit. Still, it was the best option for her. After all, there was no guarantee that she could get some financial support for medical school. Her scholarship only covered one course and that was her pre-meds. And she would die before she burdened her parents with such a huge expense. She'd have to work to get through med school and Nursing was the most practical pre-med course for her. After all, the pay was decent and she was sure to earn some money. And if worse comes to worse and she doesn't earn enough money to study medicine, at least she would have a job that's quite close to her dream job. In short, she had her future all planned out… just like her budget. And just like her budget, it was being threatened by Sasuke's sudden appearance. 

Not that she was sure that he'd actually 'stay' in her life this time. From what she gathered, Sasuke still found her annoying and was still quite determined to keep her out of his life. But despite his apparent rejection, the thought of 'him' was already disrupting her thoughts enough to deprive her of her much needed sleep. Not that she wasn't sleepy, she just didn't want to miss his call.

She really needed to get a life.

Pining over him in her high school years certainly didn't help her get the scholarship from Tsunade's company. If anything, it only distracted her. Things changed when he left for only God knows where though. But whether they changed for the better or not, she didn't really know. On one side, she became more serious with her studies and she actually 'earned' a future. But on the other side, she was lonely as hell.

Either way, now that he was back in her life… sort of… well, depending on him, really, if he calls or not. But still, now that he was back, things would definitely change. Glancing at the clock, Sakura counted the number of hours that had passed since meeting him. Apparently, only two hours have passed and already he was disrupting her sleeping pattern, her budget, and her phone conversations with Ino. She wasn't using the phone for fear of missing his call. She was even contemplating on opening up another line so that her old line would always be free but that would be too much. Her budget wouldn't allow it either. But maybe… just maybe… if she could win the lottery, she could afford that extra phone line and…

Realizing that she was being completely and utterly pathetic, she made the decision to drop the love-sick act and just go to sleep.

* * *

He wasn't big on hygiene but he knew that his many years of absence probably caused many microbes to latch onto his utensils. So, for the sake of his health, he decided to do some dishwashing. As he turned the knob of the faucet, it gave out a long and shuddering groan and coughed out spurts of water before settling into a steady run. Convinced that the faucet was working fine, he proceeded to wash the utensils. 

Once done, he took out the knife and sliced through some tomatoes. Again, with the menial task of slicing done, he walked over to where his old rice cooker was. The dusty appliance was yellow with age and rusty with disuse. Nonetheless, once Sasuke saw that it still worked fine, he proceeded to cook some rice. Onigiri and tomatoes always was his favorite dish.

But when one is alone, eating never does take much time. And so, Sasuke once again found himself free to think about all that had transpired. All the adrenaline that had rushed through him as he made his kill had dulled into a steady throbbing. He had hoped that it would be a fruitful assassination. Unfortunately, it wasn't. He was successful in wiping out Sarutobi without the trace but he wasn't able to garner any information about his brother. The old man obviously knew nothing. But at least he was getting paid for his efforts. Orochimaru was a generous customer.

He wasn't proud of his job. Being an assassin was hardly what he had expected to become when he young. Never had he expected that he would be a criminal. If anything, he had expected that he would be a cop. But life was always full of surprises, and the number one student of Konoha high had become the number one assassin of the whole country. Also, the job allowed him better access to information about his bastard of a brother. The faster he could track the bastard down and kill him, the faster he could quit the criminal life. It was his only consolation as he trudged through each and every hellish day.

Not that his day was completely hellish though. Something quite interesting happened. Meeting Sakura was a fine break from the constant violence that his job offered. It was quite interesting to note that his former classmate was studying to become a nurse. He sadly realized that he had been gone for such a long time.

The girl was still annoying. She still managed to get under his skin. But he had to admit that it was nice to see that she had gotten over that fangirl stage.

For the second time that day, thinking about Sakura made him think of the piece of tissue where she had written her number. Taking a look at the messy scrawl, Sasuke suddenly felt the urge to call her up. But the thought itself was laughable. He, Uchiha Sasuke, did not call Haruno Sakura… it was just… wrong.

Chuckling, he dismissed the idea and crumpled up the paper once again. He was about to throw it in the direction of the trash can when he found that he couldn't do it. Thinking that it wouldn't hurt to try and that he was just doing it to satisfy his curiosity, he walked over to the phone and dialed.

* * *

Sakura was hovering in the limbo between sleep and wakefulness when the shrill sound of the phone ringing reached her ears. In less than a second, all traces of sleepiness left her eyes and she was on her feet and running towards the phone. 

Pathetic.

But hey, old habits die hard.

She picked up the phone with trembling fingers and placed it over her ear.

"Hello?"

"Sakura?"

* * *

**TBC.**


	3. Chapter 2

DISCLAIMER: Need I really say it once more? I don't own Naruto.

AUTHOR'S NOTES: Well, finals week is finally over and here I am with another chapter. I can't really describe the rate of this story... is it going too slowly for you guys? Or is the pacing okay? Anyway, please tell me what you think...

* * *

**Learning to Breathe**

_Chapter 2: Inescapable Fate_

* * *

"Hello?" 

"Sakura?"

"Sakura, hello? It's me, Ino."

She felt like an overly inflated balloon that was abruptly bled of its air.

"Oh. Ino."

"Oi forehead girl, you okay? You sound like you're spacing out."

"Er… sorry, I just- uhm, never mind… what is it that you wanted to say?"

"Hey, it's you who said you'd call. We're supposed to go to the mall, remember? Ugh, whatever. Why are you so… disoriented?"

It was tempting… to tell Ino about her encounter. But it was even more tempting to put the phone down as soon as possible because maybe… and it was a very slim maybe… maybe Sasuke was trying to call and he was getting a busy tone because she was here talking with Ino. She tried so hard not to be irrational about this… but really, she was starting to get pissed… with Ino, of all people. She could hardly believe it. Just two and a half hours of Sasuke's semi-come-back to her life, and already her friendship with Ino was deteriorating. She figured that she really shouldn't be surprised. Having Sasuke in her life never really helped her stability back when they were children, why would it change now?

"Sakura? I'm starting to get worried here, you're spacing out again."

"Oh, sorry Ino… I'm just tired… I guess… and I think I'm gonna have to bail on our appointment today. I'm really sorry, Ino… next time, I promise."

When she heard Ino's exaggerated sigh on the other line, she immediately knew that she was going to do some bribing to escape from another of Ino's long and whiney rants.

"Look, Ino, I'll treat you to a cup of frothy latte the next time we get together."

"Promise?"

"Promise."

"Yaay, okay, thanks Sakura, bye. Rest well."

"Bye Ino."

Sakura didn't even wait for the click that indicated that Ino had put the phone down like she usually did. Her bribe would cost her. The frothy latte over at the coffee shop wasn't exactly cheap. Sasuke was an expensive hobby. Slightly dejected at her impending poverty, she went back to her bed and tried to sleep.

* * *

The sky was gray and the weather was gloomy. Sasuke mused that it reflected his mood quite aptly. The last mission was practically useless and he wasn't getting any calls for any new jobs. Not that he wanted one… he needed one though. For the second time that day, he found himself going through the glass doors of 7-11. He really needed a smoke. 

He grabbed a pack from the shelf and hastily paid for it before leaving the store in a huff. He hadn't wanted to be so grumpy. But then again, he hadn't counted on the last job leading him to a dead end. He was no closer to catching his brother and subsequently killing him despite all his efforts. It was just all terribly frustrating that he was tempted to go back into the store and buy a pack of beer. But he knew that getting drunk would only delay him from getting to his goal.

Another reason for his frustration, albeit a very minor one, was his inability to follow through with the phone call. He had chickened out before he could dial the last number. Normally, he wouldn't really care about trivial things such as this. But he found that this time was different and he was actually quite disturbed by his apparent cowardice. He could empty two barrels into a man's head and yet he couldn't dial a silly girl's number.

Sakura really was annoying.

Sighing, he took in his surroundings. Konoha hadn't changed much during the time that he was gone. There was still that ramen store in the corner, the barbecue house was still there, and the tea house was still up and running. The streets were still filled with people going busily about their days. None of them even took notice of him. Not that this was a bad thing. He never really liked the attention he got from some insignificant people. All the people whose attention had really mattered were already dead.

He was roused from his musings when a droplet of water fell on his forehead. The lone droplet was quickly followed by millions of other droplets. Soon enough, it was pouring. Thankfully, he still had his jacket on. Pulling up his hood, he turned to the direction of his house and ran. What he didn't notice though, was the car that was speeding straight towards him. And the last thing he could remember before passing out was the panicked screaming of the crowd and a sharp and shooting pain on his side.

* * *

When the phone rang again, Sakura was apprehensive. She didn't want to get her hopes up but they were up anyway. She stumbled sleepily towards her phone, vaguely aware of the torrential rain outside of her warm apartment. 

"Hello? Haruno Sakura here…"

"Sakura? Oh! This is your number? This is Shizune, you know, from the ER. A guy was admitted here just a few minutes ago. He was hit by a car. He had no identification on him and the only thing that we found was this tissue paper with a number, apparently yours, written on it. Anyway, if you know him, Sakura, you've better run over here quick. His condition isn't looking good. They might have to operate on-"

Another change that Sasuke had apparently brought into her peaceful life was a decline in her phone manners. Sakura didn't even say goodbye and didn't even bother putting the phone back after she had heard Shizune's words. She immediately grabbed her cloak and rushed out of her apartment. No, Sasuke really didn't bode well for her well-valued stability.

* * *

**TBC. **


	4. Chapter 3

Author's Notes: This is IMPORTANT… I messed something up in the last chapter. The ER nurse isn't Tenten, it's Shizune. Sorry for the mix-up… I wouldn't have changed it if it wasn't vital for the plot.

Again, thanks to all those who reviewed. I love you guys. XD You're the ones who give me the motivation to carry on with this story. Please continue to review… Also, to everyone else, please review… please? I shall go down on my knees and beg if need be… TT

Also, this one's a long chapter… well, longer than the last one, anyway. XD I'll try to make them longer from here on out.

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.

* * *

**Learning to Breathe**

_Chapter 3: Deja Vu_

* * *

Sakura was never a big fan of poverty. And so, ever since she was a kid, she had gotten into the habit of placing some of her spare change into this adorable little piggy bank that she had named 'Tonton'. 

Now, Tonton was staring up at her accusingly, almost as if the piggy bank was aware of her intentions.

"Now, now, Tonton, don't look at me like that… I… it… it's important and I really really need to do this."

The piggy bank remained silent and continued to stare up at her accusingly.

"Yes, I know, I know… I don't like this any better than you do… but… I have to do this and I'm really really really really sorry."

Still, the piggy bank remained silent. Never mind that it was an inanimate object that had no vocal chords. It had been with Sakura since she was a small child, a gift from her Tsunade-shishou, and it was like her very own pet. It hurt to have to do this but it had to be done. Bracing herself, she tightened her grip on the hammer and struck.

Tonton was dead.

But the money which she had been saving for a 'rainy day' was suddenly free. Apparently, the rainy day had arrived. Sighing, she proceeded to gather up the broken pieces of Tonton's body and placed them inside a brown paper bag. She would keep it for remembrance in the old shoe box that she kept beneath her bed. But for the time being, the paper bag would have to be left on the table, there was a more pressing matter that she had to attend to.

And so, she collected the loose change she had painstakingly earned for the better part of a decade and shoved them haphazardly into a big bag. The pharmacist would be pissed once she showed up with this conglomeration of coins and buttons but there really was nothing she could do about it.

Sasuke's medicine was disgustingly expensive.

But at least his condition wasn't serious. When she got to the hospital, his condition was slowly becoming stable. And the doctors were confident that he had sustained no major traumas and that none of his organs got damaged. The alarm they had raised earlier was false. If he had needed an operation, she would never have managed. And even if she raided Naruto's frog wallet for payment for the many debts he owed her, it would still not be enough. She had to be thankful for life's little blessings. She only wished Sasuke would be, too.

As soon as she was done collecting her money, she grabbed her coat again and made her way to the pharmacy. She decided that she would get some apples on the way to the hospital.

* * *

The first thing he did when he woke up was groan. The pain on his side had somewhat lessened but he felt groggy as hell. His eyelids also felt incredibly heavy. He strained to look at his surroundings and saw, though blurry, that he was connected to various beeping instruments. He saw, or rather, felt that there was an oxygen mask strapped to his head. He tried to make sense of his situation but he remembered nothing except for panicked screams and everything going black. He knew for a fact that he was running home then and perhaps, in his hurry and in his lack of concentration, he got hit by a car. He also knew that he was thinking about a certain pink-haired girl when it happened. 

Trying to suppress his irritation at himself and at Sakura for being so damn annoying, he tried to appraise his current situation once again. He was in a hospital, Konoha General Hospital, judging by the nauseating smell of isopropyl alcohol, the sterile white walls, and the wide windows. But to his annoyance, a knock interrupted his train of thoughts.

If he was a believer, he would have mused that God was playing tricks on him. But alas, he was not, and so he was content to just grit his teeth as a girl with pink hair waltzed into the room. He almost had a feeling of deja vu.

"Sasuke-kun, you're awake! I was so very worried. How are you feeling?"

A warm hand settled onto his arm and he was grudgingly grateful for it. The air-conditioning was turned up too low and he was feeling slightly cold. Grateful or not, though, he still didn't bother to grace her with an answer. He really was perplexed, though, as to why the girl was there with him and it was enough to get his voice box running. He pulled off his mask and asked.

"Why are you here?", he spat out, a little more hostile than he intended. He watched as the girl sat down on the stool beside him and proceeded to peel some apples.

"Grumpy aren't we? You haven't changed a bit."

Needless to say, his irritation grew. And it grew even more when he saw her extend her hand to offer him a piece of apple. He suppressed the urge to slap her hand away. It never did do him any good when he was still in high school. His impious action had earned him a fight with Naruto and a trip to the disciplinary office with Kakashi-sensei back then. And he knew that it would do no good now. The urge was strong, though, and it was tempting. But before he could indulge his urgings, he heard her speak again; it was more of a whisper, really. And without even looking, he knew that the girl was dangerously close to tears.

"Alright, so you still abhor apples. I should have known. Sorry."

He tried to ignore the quivering of Sakura's lips. Apparently, the girl was still a bit of a crybaby. It didn't change the fact that her crying still made him feel as guilty as sin, though.

"Okay, okay, I'll have those apples. But you'll have to explain why you're here."

Immediately, the girl's face brightened up. Apples really never were his favorite fruit.

"Next time, bring tomatoes."

In all honesty, he didn't know where that came from. It wasn't like there was going to be a next time. He said a long time ago that he had broken his bonds, and he wasn't lying. No, his life as an assassin would be lived apart from the people he had known when he was young… apart from the people he had genuinely cared for, and Sakura, though annoying, was one of them... and the truth was that she was the hardest one to leave behind. She never found out about it… but he had liked her a lot… maybe even loved her. He was almost tempted to bring her with him and to take her from her sheltered life… but he knew he shouldn't. It was better that way. Life was more depressing but at least it was less complicated… and at least she was safer.

Apparently, the girl was also quite perplexed with his words. She was once again sitting there, her mouth agape, and her eyes wide like saucers.

"You look like a fish."

That caught her attention.

"Oi! I resent that!!"

"Yes, yes, whatever. Now tell me why you're here", he said as he took an apple piece from her plate.

"Alright, I guess I should keep my part of the bargain, eh? Well, you see, I got a call from Shizune-san earlier today saying that a man who got hit by a car was admitted into the ER and that that man had no ID on him. Obviously, that guy was you. Really, Sasuke-kun, I'd have thought that you were more careful than that."

"Just go on."

"Alright, geez, you don't have to be grumpy. So, anyway, they found that tissue paper where I wrote my number on and they decided to call it. I came here as soon as I could. Sooo… that basically answers your question."

"How long was I out?"

"Well, it's 1:30 in the afternoon so I think you've been out for 2 hours or so."

"Did you identify me?"

"Well, of course I told them your name, why wouldn't I?"

This did not bode well. Nobody was supposed to know that he was here. This meant that he had to go to Oto as soon as he could and hide there for a while. The Konoha ANBU would probably get wind of this by this evening. They had access to the records in all the establishments here. That meant that he had to hurry if he did not wish to get caught.

Sakura, who created a heap of trouble for him by uttering his name, was now standing by the window, staring out at the gray and stormy skies. The girl had given his location and identity away, inadvertently, of course... but still... she was so annoying that he wanted to strangle her. But he wouldn't do that... he couldn't.

He had to get out and the first step was to get out of bed. He started to slowly remove the needle connecting the IV tubing to his arm, thankful that Sakura wasn't looking. She would have a fit if she found out what he was doing. She always was fussy like that.

"By the way, Sasuke-kun, the nurses told me they found a gun in your pocket. They told me not to tell you because this is an SOP… all patients who come in with a gun shall be reported to Konoha Police Department. And nobody's supposed to tell you because you might be a fugitive or something and it would help the police if you were caught unaware… but… well, I just thought… I… I'm sure that you're not a bad person or anything… I mean, you're you… and you don't really do 'bad' things… well, those really bad ones anyway... like bad as in evil... so I guess you have a right to know that the police are probably on their way here right now. They'll ask for an explanation from you, that's all. They're a bit late, really… they usually respond instantly… I don't know what's taking them so long…"

Sakura didn't know… but he knew. They weren't sending the police department. They were sending Konoha ANBU to catch a member of Oto ANBU, Konoha's enemy country.

"Oh… they're here… well, anyway, Neji-san's here… you remember him, Sasuke-kun? Well, he's ANBU now… I should know… he brags about it to Naruto every opportunity he gets and emphasizes the fact that Naruto's unemployed every chance he gets… hmm… I wonder why they sent someone as high-ranking as him… Sasuke-kun?"

With a renewed sense of urgency, he yanked out the tubing of the IV line and grabbed hold of a syringe, unmindful of the blood that was spurting from the puncture site of his IV line. Sakura, who had turned to face him, was in a state of shock. She looked like she was scared out of her wits. All the better for him, he needed a hostage that was panicked to the point of pliancy.

* * *

**TBC.**


	5. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: Naruto's not mine...

Author's notes: First of all, I'd like to say that this chapter is dedicated to my new friend, Miko-chan, who actually encouraged me to write this chapter!! Weee!!! Hi Miko-chan!

And thanks to all those who reviewed. I really appreciate them. Sorry for the delayed update. I've been pushing deadlines for the past week… add that to the incompetent enrollment process in our university.

Anyway, about the fic… well…. This is the continuation. Hehehe… okay, that didn't make much sense…

But please read and review… really, reviews are what encourage me to write more... reviews make me really really happy... I'll give you a cookie if you review? hehe. XD

* * *

**Learning to Breathe**

_Chapter 4: Convict and Captive_

* * *

Within seconds, the needle's tip was poised over a vital point on her neck, ready to kill if ever the need arose. Not quite prepared for the silent but precise pressure of the needle on her throat, Sakura could not suppress a strangled cry. 

"Be quiet. Don't make things worse than they already are."

Sakura was surprised to hear that Sasuke's voice held a brutality and coldness to it that had not been present in their childhood years. Baffled and terrified at the boy's violent behavior, she tried reasoning with him. Trying in vain to keep her voice calm and steady, she spoke.

"Sasuke-kun… please, l-let m-me go… this isn't… this isn't r-right… I…"

Before she could finish, the door knob started rattling and in came a disgruntled Hyuuga. Neji, who by the looks of things was told by the nurses that Sasuke was still asleep, immediately became alert and raised his gun, the barrel pointing directly towards Sasuke. A serious frown set on his face, he glared at the boy he once knew as his rival.

"Uchiha…"

"Hyuuga…"

"Release her, Uchiha."

Sasuke made no response to this but tightened his grip on Sakura more. Neji, apparently sensing the boy's hostility, shifted the gun so that he held it with both hands for added accuracy.

"I'll say this once again, Uchiha, release her or-"

"Make one false move, Hyuuga, and Sakura here gets it. You know I won't hesitate."

At this, the white-eyed ANBU could make no response. Sakura fidgeted nervously, her eyes threatening to spill tears. Neji once again tightened his hold on his gun. He was waiting for an opportunity to strike but things were just too risky. If he fired, the girl would definitely die. If he pulled the trigger, he'd either kill Sakura with a wayward bullet or push Sasuke into carrying out his threat. He saw no feasible options at that moment, choosing instead to stay silent.

Sasuke, sensing victory, pressed the needle further into Sakura's neck, making his threat more believable. He wasn't sure that the Hyuuga would really buy his bluff before but when he saw the ANBU official twitch when the needle drew blood, he knew that he had the upper hand.

"I'll kill her, Hyuuga, you know I will. Now drop your gun and move aside."

Neji hesitated for a moment before crouching to put his gun on the floor.

"Hands up in the air, Hyuuga. And move away from the gun."

Sasuke jerked his head to the side, gesturing towards the window.

Neji glared fiercely at Sasuke but complied anyway. Casualties were out of the question, especially if the said casualty was someone who had saved his girlfriend's life once.

Sakura found herself getting shoved to the direction of the guns, the needle still situated over her throat. She shivered when she heard Sasuke's threatening whisper.

"Now, Sakura, I suggest you cooperate with me or face the consequences."

Sasuke guided her into a crouch so that he could pick up Neji's discarded gun and still keep her at his mercy. For a moment, Sakura was relieved to feel that the pressure of the needle was finally withdrawn. Her relief did not last long, though, as she immediately felt the gun's barrel pressed onto her lower back.

"Where is the fire exit?"

"Ngnn…. The… fire exit?"

"Yes. Don't play dumb."

"The e-end of the h-hall, to the right."

"Alright Sakura, I want you to stick your neck out into the corridor and see if there's anyone there."

For added effect, Sasuke pressed the gun into her back more. Sakura whimpered and did as she was told. She looked to her left and then to her right. To her dismay, there was nobody there.

"Th-there's nobody."

"Hyuuga, if you follow, I'll kill her."

Within moments, she found herself being shoved out of the door and into the direction of the fire exit. Sasuke was pushing her, occasionally looking back to see if Neji had followed. Convinced that the coast was clear, he opened a door with a sign that said 'Fire Exit' and led Sakura down the metal staircase and into the streets below, surveying the parking lot all the while for a car he could steal.

* * *

Meanwhile, inside the room, Neji looked out of the window, hoping to catch a glimpse of Sasuke before he disappeared once again. He knew that if he tried to pursue his target, he'd only be making things worse. The guy had his gun and he had a hostage in his hands. Things were too risky. Cursing, he pressed his hands flat on the smooth glass window and strained to look for any signs of movement. 

"Neji?"

Startled, Neji whirled around to see his partner, Shikamaru, enter the room.

"Where's the Uchiha?"

"Escaped. Give me your gun, quick."

Bewildered, Shikamaru handed his gun to Neji and followed as his partner rushed out of the room and down the corridor. Neji kicked the Fire Exit door open and raised his gun at eye level. He searched the parking lot and finally saw Sasuke shoving Sakura into the passenger seat of a red pick-up truck. Steadying his hands, he aimed for the enemy and pressed the trigger.

* * *

"Aaarghh!!" 

"Sasuke-kun!!"

Sasuke clutched his lower leg, trying to stem the bleeding, as he limped towards the driver's seat. Ignoring the pain, he proceeded to hotwire the car, the sound of the engine running indicating that he was successful.

"Sasuke-kun, are you alright?"

Sasuke ignored Sakura and climbed into the seat. Paying no heed to his bleeding calf, he put the car in reverse and drove out of the parking lot and into safety, unmindful of the shots that were fired in the car's wake. He silently thanked his lucky stars that the ANBU official had parked his car on the hospital's front parking lot. They would not be pursued immediately.

He drove to where he parked one of the cars he had reserved as an emergency getaway for his missions. Once there, he left the red pick-up truck and limped towards the passenger seat's door. He opened it and grabbed Sakura by the arm and led her to the other car – a sleek black sedan. As much as he wanted to let the girl go, he couldn't. Sakura knew which direction he was taking and would be able to point the Konoha ANBU to the right direction. He'd discard her when the time was right a.k.a when he could pass her on to someone else, preferably someone from Oto ANBU, who would then take her somewhere else, leaving him free to disappear once again.

He really did want to let her go. The girl was too annoying for her own good. She always knew how to mess up his neat little plans in the worst ways possible. The little escapade they had just this afternoon was a testament to that.

There was, however, an easier and more convenient way to solve things. He could just kill her.

He decided to rent a hotel room before moving on to Oto. He would have to get his leg bandaged up. He glanced down at his calf. By the looks of things, the bullet had only grazed the skin.

Thankfully, all of his equipment was already safe inside the very car he was using. It was fortunate that he had the foresight to relocate his equipment. His house was probably being watched by now and going there would only cause him to end up in an interrogation room in a maximum security prison. It was good that he didn't leave anything in that house except for some groceries and some magazines.

After a few hours of driving, they reached a secluded alleyway. Sasuke parked the car and looked around if there was anybody in the area. Convinced that the coast was clear, he opened up the glove compartment and took out a handgun. He hazarded a glance at his former classmate to see how she was faring. He was amused to see that the girl had scampered towards the car door, trying to put as much distance between them. Funny, this was the first time he actually saw Sakura shirking away from him. It was a weird thought – that the girl he had protected all throughout their childhood years was now afraid of him. Her fear stirred something inside him… he was… slightly hurt. He had spent years being her 'protector' and here she was, cowering, convinced that he would kill her. He suddenly had the impulse to ask her if she really thought that he would harm her. But he knew better. Fear was a useful weapon. Besides, he didn't know the answer either… maybe he could harm her...maybe he could kill her. He should kill her. It was more practical.

"Close your eyes."

* * *

When she heard the calmly issued order, Sakura whimpered. She was sure that he would kill her now. She said a silent prayer for her soul, her tears now falling unchecked, thinking morosely that it was perfectly normal to cry because she was going to die. She didn't even care if he insulted her by calling her weak again like he used to when they were young. She shut her eyes as tight as she could, bracing herself for the pain of death. 

She gulped when she heard the click of a gun's safety.

She waited.

And waited…

And waited some more…

"Alright, you can open your eyes now."

Confused, she opened one eye, and then another. With eyes wide open, she turned to look at Sasuke… who had the most amused and patronizing smirk on his face. She looked down to see that, instead of a hospital gown, he was wearing a black shirt and some gray pants.

To make things worse, Sasuke raised one of his perfectly curved brows.

Her bewildered expression quickly turned to an indignant one as she realized that she was being played. Sasuke had done things on purpose… the eye closing… the gun click…

Sakura gritted her teeth and tried to keep herself from giving the boy a taste of her fist. After all, the guy still had the gun. She wasn't exactly stupid. Drying her wet cheeks and rubbing her eyes, she huffed angrily and looked out the window.

"What? Did you really think I'd give you a peep show?"

Sakura averted her gaze from the window and shot Sasuke a glare. The guy was a bastard.

* * *

Neji cursed loudly as he saw the red pick-up truck disappear around the corner. They lost the Uchiha again. 

"Where the hell where you!?", he growled at his partner.

"Ino wouldn't let me go… we were shopping and she was being troublesome. What happened here?"

"Well, obviously, Uchiha Sasuke escaped."

"How'd he do that?"

"He took Sakura as hostage… said he'd kill her if I moved. He had a syringe poised over the girl's neck. It was too risky so I let him have his way."

Shikamaru raised a brow at his partners' explanation.

"You act like you don't know Uchiha Sasuke. We've known him since high school. He can't kill Sakura. You know how sentimental that guy can get despite his rough exterior. He acts like he doesn't care but if you watch him closely, you'll see that his actions say otherwise. Hell, you only had to look at Sakura the wrong way to get him riled up -- him and naruto, for that matter. But he was worse. She was his weak spot then, and she's probably still his weak spot now. It wasn't as much of a risk as you thought. At the very least, he would hesitate and that would be enough time for you to get the upper hand. Goodness, you had a gun and he had a syringe. Learn to get into your enemy's psyche, Neji. You weren't thinking enough. Troublesome."

"Well, if you weren't such a pushover when it comes to your girlfriend, then we wouldn't be having this problem. Learn to grow some balls, Shikamaru."

Neji and Shikamaru made their way down to their company-issued car, a tense and heavy silence between them.

* * *

**TBC.**

_How was it? Did you like it or did you hate it? I wasn't entirely sure if I should use the other characters' points of view (it kinda drew away from the romance)... but... it was essential for the story... was it bad? Please tell me... A review would be appreciated._**  
**


	6. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: Do I really have to do this all the time? Naruto's not mine!! Damn it! I hate disclaimers.

Author's notes: Ermm… sorry if it took me a while... a long while... to update. For the life of me, I couldn't find the time. I'm either working or studying or too tired to move these days. So, if this chapter seems crappy, forgive me. Anyway, I hope you still like this… please review.

* * *

Learning to Breathe

Chapter 5

* * *

She wanted the ground to just open up and swallow her whole. Twenty one years of keeping her reputation squeaky clean and here she was in a seedy motel, trying and failing to ignore the amused look that the plump man behind the counter was shooting her. She could just imagine the intense blush tinting her cheeks. Hell, she practically felt her face burning up. And to make things worse, the sleazy receptionist actually started chuckling.

"Look, will you hurry up?"

Sakura was glad that Sasuke spoke up. Apparently, the boy was getting annoyed at the receptionist as well. Her relief was cut short though, when the receptionist spoke up again.

"Tch, teenagers these days don't know the meaning of patience", the guy grumbled as he passed to keys to Sasuke, "too damn excited… pathetic."

It was bad enough that the counter was assuming that they were in the motel to do… stuff… but… horny teenagers?! She liked to think that she looked more mature now… taller, with a deeper voice, more curves, beautiful rather than cute…

But her slightly narcissistic thoughts were cut short when she felt a tug on her wrist… a tug that led to outright dragging which led to her stumbling a bit and jogging just to catch up.

And of course, because she experienced being dragged like this a lot during her high school years, she immediately knew what was happening. Sasuke was on the move. And he was not in the mood to wait.

Two flights of stairs and a few corridors later, she found herself being dragged into a room which, to her dismay, looked suspiciously like it was infested with roaches. And sure enough, a roach chose that moment to skitter across the room and under the bed, earning a shrill shriek from Sakura and a tired sigh from Sasuke.

The hold on her wrist was relinquished and she saw Sasuke walk over to the bed drop his bag on the said mattress. Sakura watched in a dazed, unthinking state as Sasuke rummaged through his bag for some bandages. Still dazed, she stared as Sasuke started peeling the cloth of his pants away from the wound and brushing off the dust that had crusted.

One word passed through her mind: Aseptic Technique.

And immediately, her medical instincts took over and she was shuffling over to Sasuke and swatting his dirty hand away.

"Don't touch it."

The sudden and uncharacteristic command seemed to shock Sasuke into obedience. And Sakura took this opportunity to go o the bathroom and take some towels and a basin. She deposited them onto the bed and reached into Sasuke's bag to rummage for some bandages.

Before she could really touch anything inside, however, she found her wrist encased in Sasuke's grasp.

"Don't."

Any protest she might have had died on her lips the moment she saw the fierce glare that he was giving her.

"I-I was just looking for something we could use as bandages, Sasuke-kun…"

Sasuke didn't bother to grace her with an answer, instead, he reached over and took the bag, opened one of the pockets and took out some bandages. Sakura quirked a brow at this; she didn't expect him to be prepared. She asked no questions though and instead went on to clean the wound and wrap it in bandages.

She was aware that Sasuke needed medical attention but she was also well aware that he would not get any. She knew him well enough to know that he hated going to hospitals and, judging by the events that transpired earlier, she surmised that it would be unwise for him to go to one too.

She went on with her task in silence, pondering about why the police – no, the ANBU, were after Sasuke. He was doing something illegal – that much was sure. Also, he seemed to have become a dangerous person, maybe a felon, during his time away from Konoha. She knew that she should probably be worried for her own safety, but strangely enough, all she could really get herself to care about was the man that she was currently treating. She missed him… and the realization only caused her to think about all the time he was away. And it saddened her, how she didn't matter enough to him back then, and how she probably even mattered less to him now. Just a few hours ago, he was ready to kill her. Five years ago, he was walking her home to 'protect her from bad elements'. It wasn't a welcome change.

"Sasuke-kun… what happened to you?"

Without thinking, the words flew straight out of her mouth. Instead of being ashamed by her sudden question, however, she found herself anticipating the answer. She searched his face for any sign that he heard her but she only saw him look away. So, with a new-found bravery, she repeated the question.

"What happened to you, Sasuke-kun?"

She waited, but no answer came.

Typical.

Five years ago, she would have nagged him for an answer.

* * *

He stared at the paint peeling off the walls of the run-down motel room, trying to block the thoughts from his head. The question, though he ignored it, got him thinking about what really happened to him. He was a promising child – not as good as his brother – but still, he was better than most people. He was certain that he had a bright future but now, everything just seemed bleak. There was nothing awaiting him in this path he walked – only death – his brother's or his own. It was a miserable path, yet he would continue to walk it. He had no choice.

He had come to terms with his 'life' though. But it was only in times like these, when he could see fragments of his past, that he allowed himself time to think about all the what-could've-been's and the what-if's. It was a masochistic habit of his that he was only able to curb by avoiding all the links to his past, no matter how small, keeping his bond only with the one he wanted to destroy.

But, with Sakura here, all he could think about was what could've happened if he had stayed in Konoha, giving up his pursuit of revenge and choosing instead to try live out as good a life as he could have had. He could've managed it. And it would've been easier – to just move on, accept his family's death, leave Itachi's capture to the authorities… it would've made him happier too… he would've enjoyed continuing his rivalry with Naruto, taunting the guy was incredibly amusing…. He would've enjoyed courting Sakura too, sure she was annoying at first… but she grew on him. Not that he would ever admit all of that out loud. He wasn't on denial. He knew perfectly well how things in his life went.

No, he wasn't delusional. He was very perceptive. But he never really was good at making important decisions.

"I'm done with the bandages. Anyway, I'm going to go to sleep, Sasuke-kun. I'm tired. You can just sleep on the floor."

Sasuke quirked his brow at the girl who was already making herself comfortable on the bed. What she said was just preposterous. There was no way he was sleeping with the roaches. But he was in no mood to argue either. So, he decided to just let her sleep for a while and just lie down on the other side of the bed once she'd be too asleep to notice.

Sasuke stood up and went over to the window. He sat on the window sill, watching the droplets of rain slide against the foggy glass window, the melancholy thoughts once again rushing to his head. The thoughts did not please him, but he did nothing to deter them. Tonight, he would allow himself to think. Tomorrow, he would move.

* * *

TBC. 


	7. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto

Author's Notes: I just noticed that I stopped making titles for my chapters. I hope that's okay with you guys. My titles suck anyway, and I spend several precious minutes thinking of them. goes on self pity mode

Also, I'm sorry if they're short. I'll try to make this one longer to compensate for the previous one.. ehehe. XD

Anyway, thanks for all the reviews. I love you guys. XD You're the ones who keep me writing. So… uhmm… please continue reviewing and supporting this fic. XD

* * *

Learning To Breathe

Chapter 6

* * *

"Naruto denies it vehemently… but he missed you…" 

Sasuke wished that the girl would shut up. It was a 6 hour drive to Oto and he didn't know if he could take 6 whole hours of nagging. As it was, just thirty minutes of her nonstop prattle was already driving him mad.

It was bad enough that she was babbling. She didn't have to add insult to injury by babbling about the very things he promised to forget the previous night.

"Kakashi-sensei quit teaching the year after you ran away from home."

It was funny how Sakura was so much more tolerable when she was asleep. Why, just a few hours ago, he woke up with her entangled in his arms. Not that he would tell her, or anyone for that matter, but he lingered in bed for a few minutes just holding her. It felt good. It had been so long since he had come into contact with anyone else's skin without having to kill them afterwards, and really, it was a nice change.

Lucky for him, Sakura still slept like a log. If she had known that he was 'holding' her, she might have… well, he didn't know how she would've reacted… but he was sure that it would have been awkward. He had to admit that he was a bit curious about her reaction. Would she have been disgusted, afraid, shocked? Or would she have been happy… did she still love him? After all, she did promise him five years ago that she would…

"Oi, Sasuke-kun, are you even listening? Anyway, as I was saying, Lee was sad because he lost his 'youthful rival' and Ino-pig was mad at you for running away because—"

More importantly, why did he care if she still loved him… he cut his bonds, didn't he?

"Sakura, I-don't-care."

The words were said in a clipped and annoyed manner. Sasuke was angry – both at himself and Sakura. Sakura because she was… well, she was being annoying. And himself because he was having a hard time keeping his resolution about cutting bonds.

"But you should! They cared about you and—"

"Well, what about you, then? You've been prattling on and on about how all the others reacted when you haven't even said a thing about yourself. How did you react, Sakura? What—did you cry? Were you sad?! Am I supposed to feel guilty?! I never asked any of you to care for me."

"I-I…"

Sasuke loosened his grip on the steering wheel and tried to take deep calming breaths and ran his hand through his dark hair. He had lost his cool. And by the looks of things, his former classmate was about to cry. Great – just great. The only thing he hated more than her babbling was her tears. And when he heard a few sniffles, he slammed his hand on the steering wheel and muttered an expletive.

"Damn it."

The rest of the drive went on in silence, with Sakura's muffled sobbing as the only sound that could be heard. Needless to say, it was grating on Sasuke's nerves. He really didn't know if he could take much more of it. Then, as if on cue, a 7-11 store came into view.

When a sharp turn, he parked his car on one of the empty parking spaces. He reached into his bag for a cap, his sunglasses, and some cash. He put the articles on and went outside of the car, loudly slamming the door, before muttering a curt 'Don't even think about escaping' to Sakura.

Once inside the shop, he relished the smell of mashed potatoes and coffee, musing about how 7-11 was one of the few things in this God-forsaken world that he really loved. He grabbed two packs of cigarettes from the shelf and went over to the counter.

"This and two cups of coffee…"

"Is that all, sir?"

"Ye- oh, no, wait, add a packet of extra sugar to that, will you?"

"Sure thing, sir."

Muttering a small thanks, he shoved the packs of cigarettes into his pocket and balanced the disposable coffee tray in one hand before walking back to the car.

Once he got there, he was relieved to see that Sakura had calmed down, her sobs giving way to some quiet deep breathing.

"Here."

* * *

Sakura's eyes widened as a cup of steaming hot coffee was shoved into her hands. Her expression of shock turned into one of happiness as the realization dawned on her – Sasuke had bought her a cup of latte… and with extra sugar to boot. She knew that this was his way of apologizing to her so, with puffy red eyes and a grateful smile on her face, she looked at him and said, "Thank you, Sasuke-kun." 

"Hn."

Hearing his typical reply made her smile widen even more and so, with gusto, she started sipping her coffee. They stayed in the parking lot for a few minutes, both of them just indulging themselves with their much needed caffeine. They didn't converse at all – but Sakura was surprised to realize that she liked this silence – it was comfortable. Sneaking a glance at Sasuke, she saw that this was the most relaxed state she had seen him in ever since they met at that 7-11 shop back in Konoha. But she averted her gaze once she saw him turn to her with a slight glare.

Once they finished with their coffee, Sasuke took the empty cups and threw them into the small waste bin just outside their car. He then proceeded to take a cigarette from his pack. Before he could light it though, Sakura chose to interrupt.

"Cigarettes are bad for you, Sasuke-kun."

"Sakura—", said the boy in a warning tone.

Holding her hands before her in a position of mock-defense, Sakura smiled cheekily and answered, "Alright, alright, I won't nag you…"

"Hn."

Then, after a few minutes of maneuvering, they were back on the road, with Sasuke driving while he smoked a cigarette. Sakura occupied herself with watching the green trees they passed by before she spoke up again.

"I missed you, Sasuke-kun… when you were away."

"Ah."

The reply came with no hint of exasperation or impatience. It was just – a reply – simple and devoid of emotions. But she knew that it was an acknowledgement of her feelings, of his mistakes, of everything that was left unspoken… and she was content.

* * *

"What the hell do you mean that she was kidnapped?!" 

"I mean, she was abducted, taken as captive or hostage or whatever… really, Naruto, how dense can you get?"

"You Bastard!! Can't you even—"

"Shut up, both of you! How troublesome. We won't be getting any closer to saving Sakura if you guys keep arguing like this."

The two men fell into a tense silence after the order was issued. They hated each others guts but Shikamaru was right. Sakura was important than their petty squabbles.

Upon seeing that his colleagues were finally quiet, Shikamaru decided to go on with the conference.

"Okay – now, here's what we're going to do… Neji, you are going to—"

"Wait. I know I've retired from ANBU Black Ops… but I want in on this one, you guys."

"You do know that if you do this, Sakura will find out about your secret…"

At this, Naruto fell silent. On one hand, he would be able to help Sakura. But on the other hand, she would find out exactly what he did – and sacrificed – to find Sasuke for her… and she wouldn't be happy. She'd probably feel incredibly guilty. After all, it isn't such a comforting thought to know that your friend joined an organization wherein his life would always be on the line for you.

"It doesn't matter. Rescuing her is more important. I won't be able to live with myself if I do nothing and something happens to her."

"Wait a damn minute Naruto. Your happiness is not the only one on the line here."

"I won't hurt your cousin, Neji."

"Just make sure you don't die on her, Naruto, or I swear to God, I'll make offerings to the temple everyday just to ensure that your soul goes to hell."

* * *

Oto had to be the gloomiest city that Sakura had ever seen. The trees were either dead or dying, the buildings were dilapidated, and there was a pungent scent of decay that clung to the humid air. The whole atmosphere of the place was making her miserable. It seemed to have little effect on her companion, with the tautness of his stance as the only indication of his distaste for the place. 

"Sasuke-kun?"

The boy did not respond. Thinking that he must not have heard her, she tried again. But this time, she accompanied her question with a poke.

"Sasuke-kun?"

"What?"

"Where are we going?"

Again, the boy did not respond. Sakura took the hint. She would not be getting any answers. They both fell quiet, a heavy silence falling in between them. Sakura looked outside the window, trying to look for anything remotely 'positive' in the place. But to her dismay, she found none. Oto was a relatively successful city but it was pretty obvious that the citizens were miserable. At almost every street they passed, she would see a heavily armored policeman patrolling. There was hardly anyone walking the streets – no children, no adults – nobody but those law enforcers. All the buildings were either boarded up or barricaded by policemen. Even the 7-11 was heavily guarded. She knew that Oto was having some kind of civil war, but she had no idea that this was the situation here.

They passed by a gate where many policemen were stationed. Their car was flagged down and so, Sasuke stopped driving. An officer then sauntered arrogantly towards the driver's side and peered inside. However, upon seeing who the driver was, the officer promptly straightened up and did a clumsy salute.

"Sa-Sasuke-sama."

"Hn. Have someone tell Suigetsu that I'll be over in a few minutes."

"Yes sir!"

They drove around for a few more minutes until they arrived at a tall apartment building. They stepped out of the car and Sasuke immediately went over to her, one of his hands settling on the curve of her elbow. Sasuke nodded curtly to the guard who was guarding the door and steered Sakura inside. They rode the elevator, passing by about six floors before stepping out. Again, Sasuke steered her towards one of the rooms. Sakura noticed a change in his demeanor. He was more edgy here compared to when they were in Konoha. This, in turn, made her a bit nervous. Then, interrupting her thoughts, she was shoved inside the room abruptly.

"H-hey!!"

"There's food inside. Don't ever leave this room", said Sasuke in a serious tone, putting emphasis on the 'ever'.

Too bewildered to argue, Sakura nodded mutely, a feeling of fear pitting on her stomach.

Then, as if mistrustful of her, Sasuke narrowed his eyes at her before closing the door. She heard the sound of jingling keys from outside of the door, then finally, a click.

It was only after a few stunned seconds later that it occurred to her that he had locked her in.

* * *

"Na-naruto-kun?" 

The inquiry had made him pause. There was only one girl he knew who had a voice like that and it was the girl whom he didn't want to confront… not yet, anyway.

"Hinata-chan… I…"

"N-neji-san told me… is it true… are you really going to…"

"Hinata-chan, it's just that… please… please just understand… I'm sorry but… I… Sakura-chan… Sasuke… you know how important they are to me… But you're important too… it's just… I—please, please understand…"

It broke his heart to see her looking away from him. He loved her… he really did. But he had to do this. He would hate himself forever if he didn't.

"Please, Hinata-chan…"

"N-no… I-It's okay Naruto-kun… just… just come back safe."

"Thank you Hinata-chan… I knew you'd understand… I really really love you, you know that?"

He pulled her into a tight hug, thanking his lucky stars that he had a girl like her. Then, a quick peck on her cheeks and a cheery but rushed 'I promise I'll come back' later, he was out of the door and walking towards his meeting place with Shikamaru and Neji. He quickened his pace, afraid that if he heard any more of the muffled sobbing inside the room he just left, he'd lose his resolve and abandon two of precious persons.

* * *

TBC. 


	8. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer:**Naruto's not mine.

**Author's Notes: **Hi again! If there's anything to blame for this slow update, it's my schedule. It's horribly horribly full and I don't even have weekends anymore. It's a miracle I got inspired to write this tonight. XD Funny though, I got the inspiration while I was reading a sci-fi book. Anyway, enough of my rambling, let's get on with the story. Please review because, yeah, reviews make my world go round.

* * *

**Learning to Breathe**

* * *

"Our forces have taken the western front and we expect western Oto to fold in a matter of days. However, matters on the southern front are not looking too good. The opposition has somehow established an alliance with Konoha and has received reinforcements. The exact number is still unknown as communication seemed to have been severed due to technical difficulties in the site." 

Sasuke stifled a yawn as he tried to focus on Kabuto's droning report. It was important for him to stay updated on matters about the war if he wanted his side to win. However, he wanted Orochimaru to win this civil war not out of loyalty or because he believed in the effeminate leader's principles. Hell, the man's mind was sick and he was sure that his leadership would lead to a lot of suffering for the people of Oto. It was only because it suited his goal that he sided with Orochimaru – consequences be damned.

He watched as Kabuto's laser pointer flickered towards a spot on the map and tried to assimilate everything he was hearing about the situation in the eastern front. They had so far succeeded in taking the center of Oto but the previous government had rallied its troops and was trying to regain their territory. However, his attempts to focus were all in vain as his gaze wandered towards the exit door.

"Sasuke-kun, is there something on your mind?"

The high-pitched voice broke through his distraction causing Sasuke to nonchalantly glance back at the pale man sitting on the head of the conference table. For a while, it was a contest of wills, each unwilling to break the gaze, their stances challenging. The tension in the room immediately went up and even Suigetsu and Karin stopped their blatant fighting/flirting to watch the friction unfold.

Unexpectedly, it was Sasuke who was first to give in. Sasuke giving in was a rare occurrence and it immediately raised Orochimaru's suspicion. The leader said nothing as he watched the young assassin rise from his chair and walk out of the room.

"Sasuke-kun, the meeting's not yet over. Wouldn't you like to hear the rest?"

Sasuke waved his hand curtly at the military doctor, who was also second-in-command in the whole civil war, before slamming the door behind him.

* * *

The sound of the door slamming reverberated throughout the room. And the tension, which had been building up since the glaring contest began, had risen to a feverish pitch. 

"If he wasn't such a talented assassin, I'd have had him killed for his rudeness already."

Not knowing what to do, everyone just sat stiffly and waited. An angered Orochimaru was never nice to behold.

Then, just when the tension became so thick that it could be cut with a knife, Orochimaru gave out a wry chuckle which escalated into fully out hysterical laughter. Everyone hesitantly joined in, their own laughter forced and uncertain.

The obligatory laughter died down as Orochimaru once again spoke up.

"This meeting is adjourned. All the salient points have been discussed anyway. You will all receive dossiers about the war's updates so make sure you study them. Juugo, that's your job. Make sure everyone receives a dossier. Kabuto, follow Sasuke-kun and see what his problem is. Take this folder and give it to him, this contains the details of his next assignment. Make sure he gets it."

For a long while, nobody made any move to leave.

"You may all go."

And just like that, everything was a flurry of movement as each member of the committee raced their way to the door, all of them wanting to get as far away from their leader as possible.

* * *

"You cannot possibly call a 'tomato' food." 

Sasuke tried to shut the girl's voice out of his head, wishing that he had not left the conference. Listening to Kabuto, though boring, was productive. This – this incessant babbling about insignificant things – this was hell for him. Not only was it unproductive, it was also annoying. And for the life of him, he couldn't figure out why he went straight to his apartment after storming out of the conference.

"Tomato is an 'ingredient', it's part of food but it can hardly be called 'food' because it can't make a meal."

Getting frustrated, Sasuke tried to distract himself by munching on a tomato.

"I was starving and all your refrigerator could offer was a bunch of stinking tomatoes, which are all half-rotten, by the way, how long have they been in the-mmpphh!!!"

Sasuke, who had reached his breaking point, had shoved the tomato into Sakura's mouth, effectively smothering it, along with other parts of her face, with tomato juice and shutting her up.

The sight – Sakura with tomato juice all over her face – was enough to elicit the most derogatory smirk he could manage. And the smirk, insulting as it was, was enough to elicit Sakura's legendary temper, causing her to lunge at him, throwing her whole weight against him. The force knocked him off balance and they both fell to the floor – and ended up in a very interesting position.

Sakura, whose righteous indignation had given way to irrepressible blushing, was frozen in her spot. And Sasuke, in a rare moment of impulsiveness, took the opportunity to flip both of them upside down, with him ending up above the shell-shocked girl. It was alluring – the way she looked with her eyes wide open and her lips red from the tomato juice, panting slightly from the sudden outburst. And he couldn't help but find himself inching closer…

"No wonder you were so preoccupied earlier, Sasuke-kun."

Abruptly shaken from their earlier trance, both Sasuke and Sakura straightened up to face the intruder. Sasuke, who had gathered his wits first, threw a punch at the smirking doctor, who promptly moved to evade the said punch.

"Now, now, Sasuke-kun, don't get all touchy – I'm just here to deliver your next mission", said Kabuto as he handed a brown envelope to Sasuke.

Sasuke, still angry for being caught at such a humiliating position, grabbed the envelope abruptly and glared at Kabuto.

"Alright. Now leave."

"As you wish, Sasuke-kun…"

Sasuke didn't know which he wanted to do more at that moment – kill Itachi or torture Kabuto just to wipe that stupid smirk off the doctor's face – and that was already saying a lot.

To Sasuke's relief, Kabuto left the room without dropping another snide comment.

Frustrated at everything that had transpired, Sasuke clutched the envelope and stormed into his room, locking it from the inside.

* * *

Sakura, who was just beginning to recover, watched Sasuke as he passed her without sparing her a glance. She was at a loss as to what to do about what just happened. They were about to kiss – she was pretty sure of it. If that man with the glasses hadn't interrupted, who knows, they might still have been making out right now. And, though the logical part of her brain had sorted the events out already, the irrational part, which was always dominant when it came to Sasuke, insisted that what had transpired was impossible. Sasuke just did not do kissing. 

The sound of the slamming door jostled her and she barely registered that Sasuke was angry -- at whom, she didn't know, probably that man… or maybe… could he be mad at her?

But how could he be mad at her? She didn't do anything wrong. Sure, she lunged at him, but it was an innocent and righteous anger she felt at that time. She did not have any bad intentions. She was pretty sure that it was he who initiated that would've-been kiss.

He had no right to be mad at her.

Sulking, she went to the sink to wash the mess off of her face. It was with no surprise that she found herself hesitating to douse her face with water – it had been, after all, the closest that she had ever gotten from the boy whom she had loved since her early teens. Shaking such thoughts from her head, she splashed the water into her face, promising herself that she wouldn't fall in love – not again.

She tried to ignore the tiny voice in her head that was asking her if she had ever fallen out of love.

* * *

Stepping out of the shower, Sasuke dried his hair off with a towel and walked over to the envelope that was given to him earlier. The events earlier had shocked him, no doubt, but he had sobered enough now. He blamed his impulsiveness on a sudden surge in hormones and a hang-over from his feelings for Sakura back when they were in school together – and also on the tomato juice. 

Picking up the envelope, he opened it, took out the papers and began to read. Upon seeing the name on the first page of the dossier, all thoughts of the near-kiss earlier flew out of his head and he was all business, his single-minded focus on his goal coming back full-strength.

His next target was a member of the akatsuki.

* * *

**TBC.**


	9. Chapter 8

Author's Notes: Yeah, so it's been a while. How're you guys? I'm sorry for the uber-late update. So yeah, I'm gonna update this again because I'm a bit depressed and I want one of the characters to suffer…. Haha.. kidding. Well, not really. Hmn. You'll see. Heheh…

Well, enjoy and please leave a review because reviews make me one happy puppy.

Oh and, Miko-chan, this is for you! I know I told you I'd update it last Monday but… yeah, I've never been good at keeping promises. Hehe… sorry. XD

And leaf.does.not.wither, thankyouthankyouthankyou!!! I was so set on going to sleep angry tonight because my groupmates are frigin' lazy and piled all this work on me. And I'm so glad I checked because I saw your review and it brightened up my day and now I'm gonna sleep happy!! Thank you!! huggles

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.

* * *

**Learning to Breathe: Chapter 8**

* * *

It was a disconcerting sight – Sasuke nimbly loading guns and sharpening knives before stuffing them into a black duffel bag. It was hard to watch those large but elegant hands ghosting over bullets and blades when all they used to touch just five years ago were books and guitars. Not for the first time, Sakura wondered what really happened to her friend. 

"Close your mouth. You're gaping."

_Zip._

The sound of the zipper closing startled her. It seemed that she was so lost in a trance that she didn't quite get what Sasuke said.

"Wh-what?", she asked dumbly.

"I told you to close your mouth because you were gaping."

Normally, that comment would have incited an indignant retort.

"What happened to you, Sasuke-kun?"

She almost missed it – the slight change in Sasuke's countenance, the almost imperceptible frown that her question had elicited. She had asked it before, when they stayed at that seedy motel. That time, she hadn't gotten an answer – didn't expect one. But now, she was determined to probe for an answer, even if she drove him up the wall with her questions. However, it seemed that she didn't even need to push him into answering because the answer came – short, pungent, cryptic, and totally unsatisfactory.

"I changed."

"How so?"

He looked at her as if she was stupid. He really had a talent for that – insulting her whole person with the most minimal movements: a raised eyebrow, quirked lips, a tired sigh. But if anything, she was used to it. And this time, she would not be deterred. She would find out what happened to Sasuke no matter what it took. Not only for him. But for her, as well. Her life, pathetic as it may seem, really did revolve around Sasuke. The most pivotal decision in her life – med school – that was not done out of altruism but out of a deep desire to make herself worthy of the boy who threw away everything she had to offer.

"I'll ask you again – what happened to you?"

"It doesn't concern you."

"Yes it does, Sasuke-kun!"

"…"

"You probably still think of me as an annoying little girl who can't understand what's happening around her. And maybe, maybe my world really is infinitely smaller than yours but… but I meant what I said to you back when we were in high school, I love you… I-I still do. And I will try my best to understand, Sasuke, I promise. Just give me a chance. I really do love you…"

That was probably the worst case of word vomit she had ever experienced. Another declaration of love was not on her agenda. She didn't even think that she still held her old feelings for him. It was only after she had said those words that she had realized their truth. Oddly though, it was the best she had felt in years. It was like she released all these pent-up emotions that she had hidden inside.

"I love you, Sasuke-kun."

So here she was, making a fool out of herself… again. She was up for another rebuttal, she was sure. But at least she had gotten him to stop polishing his gun.

"You don't know what you're saying, Sakura."

And it seemed that she was being shot down again.

"Stop. Stop telling me that, Sasuke. I'm not a child. Give me some credit."

She was growing angry now. Everything she did – everything was done in one way or another for Sasuke. Pathetic. But true. And here he was again, throwing away what she had to offer. It was exasperating. Her fists, which were normally reserved for Naruto, were rearing to have a go at the one she never ever had the guts to punch.

_Clench. Unclench._

"You're not going to let this go, are you?"

She shook her head. _No._

"Very well, if it's that important to you, I'll indulge you."

She could have sworn she saw him sneer. Sakura braced herself for what was about to be one of the biggest revelations she'd ever hear in her life. But whatever preparation she had done at that moment was all reduced to nil when she heard what Sasuke said next.

"I became a murderer, Sakura. I kill people for a living."

She should have seen it coming – what with the guns and the knives and the ANBU chasing him. But this was Sasuke, this was Sasuke who could have had any job he wanted. He could have even been president. But here he was, an assassin for hire… a murderer. She wanted so badly for it to be all a big badly made joke – but it wasn't. It was true, Sasuke, her Sasuke-kun, _killed people. _She didn't want to believe it but she knew that it wasn't a lie, all the evidence was there, blaringly obvious, staring her right in the face. She felt a mix of emotions - disbelief, shock, horror, pity, disgust, and most of all... uncertainty.

* * *

He didn't know why he was feeling this way. He told her about his job to scare her off. Her reaction – he expected it. He _knew_ she would react that way. He knew that she wouldn't be able to see behind his actions and that she would only see the sin. She always was the biggest prude of them all, always prattling on about righteousness and religion even at a tender age. But still – seeing her, shocked, immobile, probably disgusted, looking like she wanted to be anywhere but there with him – it affected him in a way he never expected… it hurt him. 

And so, he wanted to hurt her.

He was, after all, a very vindictive man. He sneered.

"You can withdraw that declaration of love now, Sakura."

_Slam._

He was hoping that slamming the door behind him would somehow reinforce the satisfaction that he was supposed to feel after insulting her supposed devotion. If anything, however, the angry gesture hardly helped.

"Fuck."

It wasn't just the fact that he was right and Sakura's love for him wasn't as unconditional as she said it was. It was the fact that this issue was distracting him when he was so close to getting his goal. He needed to get it out of his system before it jeopardized his goals. He needed to put Sakura back where she belonged – in the past.

* * *

It was only after she heard the door slam that she was shaken from her state of shock. And, after grasping the full extent of the last words he had said to her, she allowed herself to break down and cry. Not because she was hurt by his sarcasm but because she found out that his doubt in her wasn't as unfounded as she thought. Could she really love a murderer like him? She was, after all, more of a child than she had thought. And it looked like life had dealt her another wake-up call, another slap in the face. 

She didn't know how many hours she had stayed there, crumpled up in bed, sobbing and racking her brains for an answer. The logical recourse to her was quite obvious – stop loving him. He didn't seem to want her love anyway. A little voice in her head, which she realized had been missing for quite a while (before she met up with Sasuke again, in particular), told her that though he didn't want her love, he sure as hell needed it. Something was tugging at her subconscious – her love for him, it wouldn't just disappear just because he said he was a murderer. Not now, when she had just rediscovered it. So, with a stubbornness that seemed to have all but disappeared during her period of denial, she resolved that she would love him, no matter what he would become.

She would love him for the man he would have been, had life only given him the chance.

That man, she decided, was not yet completely lost. He was not beyond redemption. And she would help him.

Her eyes felt puffy and she probably looked like a mess. Nonetheless, she would not let him go away thinking that her declaration of love was a bad bluff. Not bothering to fix her disheveled state, she raced for the door.

It was, however, with a reasonably amount of surprise, that she bumped into what seemed like a soft wall. Sakura almost lost her balance had it not been for the big hand that steadied her. Once stable, she looked up to see an astoundingly tall man (the tallest she had ever seen) with a shock of orange hair.

"Are you okay, miss?"

She found that she was too speechless to answer. The man coughed to clear his throat, apparently waiting for an answer, before speaking up again.

"I'm Juugo, by the way. Sasuke-sama sent me here."

When she still didn't answer. The man coughed again, his expression a mix of confusion and concern.

"Miss?"

"O-oh… I'm sorry. How impolite of me. I'm Sakura, Haruno Sakura." Sakura managed a little bow as she introduced herself. "May I… May I ask why Sasuke-kun sent you?"

She was confused, really. She didn't know why Sasuke would send someone for her… unless… Her eyes widened, hoping that her suspicions weren't true.

"I'm to escort you back to Konoha, it seems, Sakura-san."

Unfortunately, they were. And though she should have felt a good deal of relief for finally being able to escape from the wretched city of Oto and back to her friends in Konoha, she found that she didn't want to leave Sasuke yet… or ever, for that matter.

"Suigetsu should have been the one to escort you, but Sasuke-sama seemed to change his mind after Suigetsu commented that he heard about the pink-haired cutie from Kabuto."

There was little time for small talk, so Sakura interrupted him.

"I'm sorry, Juugo-san, but is there any possible way that I can talk to him first?"

Juugo seemed to mull over her request for a few minutes before deciding that it would not be harmful. With a small nod, he led Sakura down the corridor.

"I believe he's off for another mission today, but if we hurry, we might just catch him by the gates. All of us are required to stop by that place before we leave Oto."

"Thank you, Juugo-san, I really appreciate it."

"No problem, Sakura-san, we're going in that direction anyway, it wouldn't hurt to be a little hasty. Oh, and you can call me Juugo."

She smiled, she didn't exactly expect to find someone who was 'friend-material' in Oto.

"Alright, Juugo, and you can call me Sakura. Friends?" She asked as she extended her hand out to him.

The tall man smiled, seemingly pleased, as he eagerly shook her hand in a gesture of friendship.

* * *

Naruto was fidgeting in his seat. His companions, though undoubtedly friends, weren't ones to talk. He suspected that their recent encounter with Sasuke was also playing a part in the uncomfortable silence. They were driving to Oto, where they assumed Sasuke went after he fled from Konoha. 

However, Sasuke's capture wasn't their main priority. It was rescuing Sakura. They had decided that it was too risky to attempt to kill or capture Sasuke while he was in his own territory. So, that would have to wait. Their plan was simple – infiltrate and recover. The execution, however, wasn't as simple. And he prayed to God they'd come out unscathed.

He fingered the notebook in his pocket. It was his only comfort when going on missions like this. It saddened him that he had to take it out again after being left in the shelf for several years now. He didn't expect that he would go back to black-ops. But either way, he was glad that he had it with him.

"Shikamaru, ya got a pen?"

Shikamaru didn't reply, handing him a pen without really looking at him. Naruto decided that Shikamaru was probably nervous too. Whether he was nervous due to the difficulty of their new mission or Ino's wrath when she finds out that he left without asking for permission – Naruto didn't know.

Muttering a small thanks, he took the pen and started to write. He had to concentrate. If ever this was really his last goodbye, he wanted it to at least be eloquent. Hinata-chan deserved only the best.

* * *

Sasuke was still in a sour mood when he passed the pen back to the guard at the gates. The latter seemed to sense it, as he seemed to be uncharacteristically polite and quiet. Sasuke paid him no heed though, as he walked back to his vehicle. He was about to get back into his car when he heard the voice of a particular someone. 

"Sasuke-kun!! Sasuke-kun!!! Wait!!"

He almost stopped to really wait for her. But then, he remembered that he was supposed to forget about her and just move on and focus on his goal. But not before he made a mental note to make Juugo's life hell for bringing Sakura there.

"Oi Sasuke-kun, you jerk! Don't be so impolite, wait!!!"

He suspected that Sakura was blind to all the shocked stares she was receiving from the citizens of Oto, as she continued shouting at him. He would have smirked had he not been feeling bitter.

"Sasuke-kuuuuun!!!"

He turned the engine on, perfectly intent on getting as far from the annoying girl as possible. But, just as he was exiting the gates, he saw her stop through the rear-view mirror.

"You're not going to scare me away, Sasuke-kun!!"

This time, albeit reluctantly, he really did allow himself to smirk – it was more of a smile, really, but he was Sasuke, and he just didn't do smiles.

* * *

Sakura waited at the gates for a while, hoping that Sasuke would stop the car, or at least acknowledge that he heard her by waving a hand or something.

But she knew Sasuke, and she knew that she was going to be disappointed. That didn't stop her, however, from hoping.

It was only when the car was out of her sight that she allowed herself to be led away by Juugo.

"I don't know what's between you and Sasuke-sama, Sakura, but I do know one thing, whatever his reason is, Sasuke-sama's a fool to try and scare you off. So don't let it get you down. He'll come to his senses… someday. He just has a lot on his mind right now."

Sakura smiled at this new-found friend of hers, glad to have someone to comfort her after another rejection.

"Thanks, Juugo" she said. She only hoped that she was as optimistic as her new friend.

* * *

**TBC.**


	10. Chapter 9

**Author's Notes: **(gulps) it's been a long time, neh? I've been a baaad author. Ehehehe… I'm so sorry. I feel so ashamed of myself. One update per week indeed. Hahha. I swear I'm never going to blame another multi-chaptered author ever again for not finishing a fic. I finally understand the horrors of lack of inspiration. (sigh) Nonetheless, I'm determined to not let this die so I'll try to continue. I've found renewed hope in this fic due to… ermm.. a recent influx of mushy things in my life. Yes, I'm inspired again. So yeah, I'll be finishing this… I hope. Hehe.. So, uhm, please, I know I've sinned… but please leave a review… they mean a lot to me and they do encourage me to keep on writing. I love reading all your insights. Thank you and I hope you'll enjoy this long-overdue update. Thanks to Kei for pointing our a really stupid-sounding typo. lol. XD Teehee

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Naruto.

--

**Learning to Breathe: Chapter 9**

--

The smooth stone walls were cold against his back and chills were running up his spine. He couldn't shake off a vague feeling of apprehension about his current mission. The gargantuan mansion was too quiet, too devoid of life. There weren't any guards patrolling the corridors and he had yet to see a single servant. He had yet to break anybody's neck. And yet, it was in the dossier – that his target was an eccentric recluse. An Akatsuki member who had a great distrust for people of all walks of life. It made sense that there wasn't a living soul in sight but still he was uneasy. The lack of resistance was making him paranoid. Things were going too smoothly. Something in his gut told him that there was something amiss.

Lithely and ever so cautiously, he crept along the corridor, his gun poised to shoot. If he had maneuvered through the halls right, then he should be close to the target's bedroom. And sure enough, the door was at the very end, a huge oak door, elaborately decorated with small carvings of what seemed like demons and suffering souls. Strangely enough, the design was yet to be finished, a small portion of the door was littered with incomplete sculptures, looking strangely deformed and even more eerie than the ones that had already been completed. The door was slightly ajar, just enough to let someone in. It was fishy – how everything seemed to be falling too easily into place. But Sasuke thought no more of it. He knew that he had done everything right and was yet to be detected. There was really no valid reason to fret.

He was sweating profusely – a rare occurrence – and his breath was coming in short and raspy puffs. He was anxious – his instinct, his very being was rebelling against the thought of entering the room But he knew that he had to – he would not chicken out now, not when he was finally getting some real leads.

Swallowing, he grasped his gun more firmly in his hand and entered the room. The lighting was dim inside the room, and he had to let his eyes adjust for a few seconds before he could make out some of the forms. Over in the right side of the room was a huge four-poster bed, in front of him was a huge window, the window from which some of the light was coming from; just adjacent to the window was a big closet and a bookshelf. And adjacent to the bookshelf was a table. He could make out the vague form of a man slumped on the table, seemingly engrossed in whatever it was that he was reading.

His target.

He inched closer to the man, his gun poised and his footsteps expertly undetectable. Once close enough he pointed the gun's barrel directly over the guy's neck… only to feel a surge of panic when the gun's end met with something hard and hollow, something that was not quite like skin – wood.

"Uchiha Sasuke"

_Click._

It was simultaneous, the sound of the click of a gun's safety and the hard pressure of something cold and metallic pressed against his temples. It was all he could do to keep his knees from shaking.

--

"Sakura… really, please! Sasuke-san told me to escort you back to Konoha!"

Childishly sticking her tongue out at her new friend, Sakura tightened her hold on one of Oto's dilapidated posts. It was nearing dark, and she knew for a fact that the curfew was only up until six in the evening today due to the recent developments in the war. She also knew that nobody was to be allowed outside during these hours, only the authorized soldiers – and Juugom who was currently trying to pry her hands off of the post, was not one of these privileged men.

If she played her cards right, she would be allowed to stay in Oto for another night, at least. And if she was lucky, Sasuke would return to Oto by then. Juugo did mention that Sasuke's current job was a quick one and that he'd probably be back within a day. She felt a bit bad that she had to put Juugo through so much trouble – but she knew she had to do this.

"Please Juugo! I don't want to go home. Let me stay here and wait for Sasuke-kun! This is important!"

"I've no doubt that the matter you're talking about is important, miss. But my life is also important, and do not appreciate having it endangered, important reason or not. Sasuke-sama is not a good sight to behold when his orders are not met."

"Oh come now, Juugo, he can't hurt you. Look at you! You're bigger than he is!"

Shaking his head, Juugo tried to muster the most pleading look that he could.

"Please, Sakura, my life's at stake here. It's a grave mistake to underestimate Sasuke-sama."

The poor giant really did look miserable. Okay, so she really was being selfish by doing this. And maybe Sasuke would really make the boy suffer if his orders were not met.

Sighing, she loosened her hold on the post.

"Fine…"

"Ah, don't look so dejected, Sakura-san, you just saved a man's life."

Sakura had the urge to glare at Juugo, who, though quite soft-spoken, actually held a bit of wry humor in his speech.

"_Attention citizens. Everyone is to retreat into their homes as of this moment and stay there until curfew is lifted. In five minutes, anyone caught outside shall be kept in custody for the next 48 hours. I repeat. Retreat into your homes this very moment. In five minutes, anyone caught outside shall be kept in custody for the next 48 hours."_

If Juugo's drawn-out groan was any indication, she might have just won this battle even if she had given up on the last minute. It was true, they probably wouldn't reach the gates, much less make it out of the city, in five minutes now, what with the sudden influx of people rushing to get to their homes. Smiling cheekily, she turned to her companion and looked at him expectantly.

"Fine. We'll stay at Suigetsu's place since it's closer. Better if you stay there and get delayed for a day than get thrown into prison and get delayed for two."

"Thank you Juugo-san."

"Don't thank me. You're going to have to explain all of this to Sasuke if he gets wind of this. And you better tell him that it's not my fault."

With a skip in her step and victory apparent in her face, Sakura let her new friend lead the way. Apparently, Suigetsu's place was only three houses away from where they were staying. Juugo walked up to the door and knocked. Three times, Juugo knocked, but nobody seemed to hear. Just as he raised his hand to knock again, some scuffling could be heard inside. And sure enough, just a few minutes later, a disgruntled man with tousled light blue hair and an overly crumpled shirt opened the door.

"What?"

Juugo didn't answer and merely pointed towards Sakura.

"I thought you were supposed to escort her to Konoha."

"I'll explain later."

"Sasuke won't like this…"

At this, Juugo gave a long sigh. As it was, Suigetsu moved aside to let them pass. Sakura smiled shyly before giving a small bow and uttering a small thank you.

"Suigetsu! What's taking you too long? Who are those people—oh!"

Sakura turned her head to see a woman with long red hair and black-rimmed eyeglasses emerge from one of the rooms. Juugo, who was in low spirits before was obviously alert now, his countenance filled with barely-hidden amusement.

"Karin, what are you doing in Suigetsu's place?"

Flustered and blushing intensely, the woman started pushing her glasses up the bridge of her nose.

"What's it to you, oaf?"

"Just asking. No need to get all defensive. By the way, Karin and Suigetsu, meet Sakura."

"Sakura? Ah you mean the one Kabuto said Sasuke-kun was making out with!"

Now, it was Sakura's turn to be flustered as she felt both Juugo and Suigetsu staring at her with obvious astonishment. It was going to be a long night.

--

"Let's stop by the motel first. It's no use to insist on reaching Oto tonight."

"But, Sakura-chan is—"

"Naruto, Shikamaru's right."

Grudgingly, Naruto conceded. Shikamaru always gave sensible advice. And though he wanted nothing more than to make sure that Sakura was safe and back in Konoha's hands, he knew that it would be rather risky to continue their trek in the cover of night. A car trying to reach Oto in too much haste would arouse suspicion.

Getting out of the car, Naruto had to admit that it was a little comforting to stretch his muscles a bit. They were getting rather stiff from too many hours of just sitting down. He looked up at the night sky, a sort of melancholy washing over him. He always liked watching the stars... he just wished that his two best friends were here to watch the stars with him instead of his two surly companions. Sighing, he dug his hand into his pocket, perturbed that the cold weight of his gun was once again a constant companion.

--

He couldn't fail – not now. How did it happen anyway? He did everything correctly. His instincts – he should have followed them! This could not happen… not now. No matter, not all hope was lost, he had to keep his wits about him. Keep calm… keep calm. Keep cool, stay in control...

"Akasuna no Sasori..."

His voice was barely above a whisper, but the menace in it was unmistakable.

"Yes, a pleasure to meet you. I've always wanted to meet Itachi-san's little brother."

The lights in the room were opened abruptly and Sasuke's eyes fought to adjust to the sudden brightness. With the whole room illuminated, he could now see that the one he was aiming at was actually a wooden puppet – a very realistic one at that. Humiliated and slightly angry at himself for getting fooled, Sasuke lowered his gun and grit his teeth.

"Don't…"

"Don't what?", he ground out, trying to keep his temper in check.

"Don't be ashamed of yourself."

Sasuke narrowed his eyes and looked sideways at his 'target'. It was bad enough that he was in this situation – but to be read so easily by someone he was supposed to kill – it was torture.

"You did everything perfectly, Sasuke-kun. And by all rights, I should be dead by now. But things aren't what they seem and there's a lot that you have yet to understand."

"What are you talking about?"

"You'll see what I mean soon enough, Sasuke. For now, put down the gun."

He had to keep his target talking – anything to stall the inevitable. He had to think of something, a way to escape. The gun had to go – he had no choice. As of now, he'd have to go with whatever Sasori ordered him to do if he waned to survive. He was at a big disadvantage. Sasuke tried to ponder on those cryptic words that Sasori had said earlier. He made no mistake in his skirmish, and Sasori knew and acknowledged that. He also said that things aren't what they seem – what things? Unless…

Suddenly, behind him, he heard the very familiar chuckle of someone he loathed with all his guts.

"Good evening, Sasuke-kun."

"Traitor…"

The word came out as a sinister hiss, brimming with so much hatred and malice that the offender had to stop his advance and keep his distance.

"Go on, Kabuto, don't be afraid."

And in emphasis, Sasuke felt Sasori press the gun further into his temple, the pressure strong enough now to cause a bruise.

"Yes, Sasori-sama."

"Your hands, Sasuke, place them behind your back."

Left with no alternative, Sasuke did as his captor told him to do. And sure enough, he felt the cold hands of Kabuto tying up his wrists. Immobilized, he had naught to do but wait, completely at the mercy of his enemies.

--

**TBC.**


	11. Chapter 10

**Author's Notes: **Hi, I'm back. Sorry for the uber-long delay. I was bent on giving up on this fic, honestly, because I was just uninspired. But I decided to give Learning to Breathe one last go. The plot bunnies started a-hopping again, and I found myself a fic revived. lol. Anyway, I hope you guys like this update, late though it may be. Err.. and I wasn't able to edit this or have this beta-ed, so sorry if there are any mistakes. And wth is wrong with this site's horizontal line thingy?

Anyway, please tell me what you think and drop a review. Thanks.

**Disclaimer: **Not mine.

--

**Learning to Breathe**

**Chapter 10**

--

"Juugo, why is he late?"

Juugo shrugged, not really wanting to reply to a question he didn't know the answer to. He was worried too. Sasuke was never late.

As far as he knew, Sasuke was up against a member of the Akatsuki, he wasn't sure which one. But knowing Akatsuki, the target was probably strong. Even Orochimaru had been a member once.

"It's been three days. Do you think he—"

"He's probably not coming back."

Suigetsu spoke up abruptly, answering Sakura's unspoken question. The three of them got along fine over the first day, and even on the second day, but as the third day rolled by, and there was still no sign of Sasuke, things started going awry and it was starting to get on his nerves.

Sakura visibly stiffened and Juugo tried hard not to feel sorry for her. But Suigetsu was probably right. Sasuke was never late.

And he was up against the Akatsuki.

"Come on, Sakura, I'm taking you back to Konoha," Juugo said as he stood up, holding his hand out to her, only to retract it when she made no move to take it.

Sakura neither moved nor spoke, the tension in the room only thickened as the minutes ticked by.

It was only when Karin entered the room that it dissipated. Suigetsu left the room, and Juugo was left with the two girls.

"What's with the gloomy atmosphere?"

"I'm taking Sakura-san back to Kono—"

"No. I'm staying here."

It was Sakura who spoke up, her eyes holding unshed tears but also a determination that wouldn't be budged.

Karin turned to look at the pink-haired girl, her mouth contorted in a sneer.

"Are you stupid? Once they confirm Sasuke's death, you won't be able to leave Oto… ever. You'll probably even be killed. The orders of a dead man are hardly honored here in Oto."

"He's not dead. I'm staying here", Sakura said determinedly, her voice barely above a whisper from trying to suppress her tears.

"Sure, whatever you say. Denial is the first step of the grieving process, you know, so get over yourself before it's too late" Karin said, shrugging as she left the room, "let her be, Juugo, if she wants to be stupid, then that's her choice."

Juugo lay his hand on Sakura's shoulder for a while, but turned to follow Karin out of the room.

Once she was alone, Sakura hugged her knees and succumbed to her tears.

--

There was a large cut on his forehead, and Sasuke could only stare at his captor through a veil of blood.

"Won't you cooperate, Sasuke? I'm telling you the truth."

Sasuke merely spat at his captor's feet, his saliva tinged with a bit of blood, and glared fiercely at Sasori, who was holding a knife gingerly between his fingers. The rebellious action earned him another cut to his cheek.

"Orochimaru never meant for you to meet your goal.", the red-haired man's voice echoed nonchalantly throughout the room, "He only wanted you as his lackey. You weren't even supposed to go on this mission, or any mission remotely connected with the Akatsuki's main group, for that matter, if Kabuto hadn't switched the envelopes. You probably would've gone on another inconsequential mission, and you probably would've returned to Oto, no closer to your goal than you were when you first went to that city."

Sasuke didn't speak, dizzy with anger and fatigue.

"You see," Sasori continued, "your brother was innocent, and Orochimaru knew this. He was still a member of Konoha's triumvirate when Itachi was framed for the murder of his own family, the Uchiha Clan. They were planning a coup, and the government got wind of this. But the Uchiha were prominent in the society, and they held the police department in the palm of their hand. They needed to be silenced, but it had to be done discretely."

Sasori gazed at his captive to gauge his reaction, and upon seeing the clenched teeth and the fisted hands, he knew he was getting through to the boy.

"The whole thing was Danzou's idea, but he needed one of the Triumvirate's decision in order to follow through with it. Orochimaru was the one acquiesced. Of course, it wasn't until he was found out by the other two members that Orochimaru was sent away, but by then, he had already gathered a number of followers. You, ironically, being one of them."

"Now, I'll ask you again, will you or will you not work with the Akatsuki?"

Again, the boy didn't speak. But that was much better than the rebellious outbursts he had gotten during his previous attempts.

Seeing that Sasuke was too weak from torture and from being starved to do any real resistance, Sasori called out to Kabuto.

"Untie him, Kabuto, we're going to the infirmary."

It was time to take out his trump card.

--

Shikamaru relayed his plan to his companions as he tried to figure out the tiny scribbles on the map. Information about the terrain surrounding Oto was scarce, as the country itself was shady and abhorred any foreign presence. The whole place mostly kept to itself, even more now that Orochimaru was the country's leader.

"We can't take the same route that Sasuke did. We'll be entering Oto through the South—"

"But that'll take us another two days! Sakura-chan might be—"

Thoroughly annoyed, Neji cut Naruto off.

"Look, Naruto, Sasuke won't kill her, okay?" At this, Shikamaru rolled his eyes, more annoyed at Neji's know-it-all attitude (and really, wasn't Neji the one who blotched that opportunity to captor the Uchiha at the hospital?) than Naruto's concern, so he spoke up.

"Konoha has an alliance with the rebels who are holding the Southern front. We have a better chance of rescuing Sakura if we use their base as our jumping point. It'll also be safer, for us and for her. If they find out that Konoha sent a team to rescue her, they might just place her under tighter security, maybe even kill her. We don't know if Sasuke is powerful enough in Oto to fight against an order given by his superiors."

"But—"

"Naruto," Shikamaru said, his tone serious, "don't be troublesome. I know you can see the sense in what I'm saying. We can't just storm Orochimaru's stronghold, you know that. We might even need to stay at the base for a few days to gather information. If you're just going to impede our progress with your brashness, then I suggest you leave the team right now, for Sakura's sake."

Naruto reluctantly gave in and just slumped in his seat. It was going to be a long wait, and his anxiety was rising to a feverish pitch, but there really wasn't anything he could do but wait.

--

Sasuke stood over the immobile body of his brother, holding a knife that would be the culmination of his revenge. He only had to bring it down, plunge it right smack into the bastard's heart. He only had to—

"If you don't believe me, Sasuke, if you really believe that your brother is guilty, then kill Itachi-san now."

Sasuke's heart pounded in his chest, the beating becoming so loud that he could hear it pumping in his ears, and God, his brother was smiling at him, through the bandages, through the heady smell of medicine, through the steady bleeping of the heart monitor, God, God, he was smiling… Sasuke raised the knife, holding it well above him, his breath hitching in his throat as he braced all his strength, and plunged…

Blood – there was blood.

"Otouto…"

Itachi's hand shot out, holding the knife's blade, keeping it from going any further.

"Don't do it…"

Sasuke's grip on the knife's handle loosened, his knees shaking as he breathed in his second chance at life.

His brother had saved him.

Sasori moved in, taking the knife that was poised just in front of Sasuke's heart.

"Aniki…", he croaked out, voice hoarse and trembling, "I'm sorry… I'm sorry…"

* * *

**TBC.**


End file.
